Category: Oak

The Major Oak attracts up to 1 million tourists each year, many of which are looking to capture some of the magic of the legend of Robin Hood.

Thanks to the legend of Robin Hood, Sherwood forest has become one of the most well known places in all of England. It attracts up to 1 million tourists each year, many of which are looking to capture some of the magic of the legend. One of the largest oak trees in the country, the Major Oak, is right at the center of the legend as the reported home base of Robin and his band of merry men. Continue reading “The Major Oak – The Ancient Giant of Sherwood Forest”

Cork is a versatile material can be harvested many times throughout a tree’s lifetime, but one particular tree in Portugal is so large that it produced more cork in a single harvest than most others in their entire life cycles.

Trees can be useful in many ways. They can provide food through fruits or nuts, building materials by milling their trunks, or shade in cities beneath their canopies. But the Quercus suber has been used for centuries for a different purpose: its bark is the source of cork. The versatile material can be harvested many times throughout a tree’s lifetime, but one particular tree in Portugal is so large that it produced more cork in a single harvest than most others in their entire life cycles. Continue reading “Portugal’s Prize Cork Oak – The Whistler Tree”

Amidst the destruction that Hurricane Harvey brought to coastal Texas, one giant oak tree stood tall. Very tall, in fact. ‘The Big Tree’ of Rockport is one of the largest live oak (quercus virginiana) trees in the United States, at nearly 14 meters (45 feet) tall.

Amidst the destruction that Hurricane Harvey brought to coastal Texas, one giant oak tree stood tall. Read full story

Although not native to the island, oak trees have become the signature tree of Galveston. The trees have been through a lot of changes in their lifetimes, and are now halfway across the world being transformed into a living history museum.

Galveston, Texas is known for beautiful scenery and historical buildings, and widely praised as a paradise getaway. A small island with just 50,000 permanent residents, the city brings in millions of tourists every year. Walking along its streets, visitor’s attention is drawn to the diverse flora that thrives in its subtropical climate. Although not native to the island, oak trees have become the signature tree of Galveston, both for their longevity and their toughness. These oaks have been through a lot of changes in their lifetimes, and are now halfway across the world being transformed into a living history museum. Read full story